Memphis, TN

C-Stores for sale in Memphis.

C-Store Trader brokers convenience and fuel store properties across Memphis, TN, pairing local market knowledge with national buyer demand and institutional underwriting.

Key takeaways
  • Tennessee C-store cap rates run roughly 5.4% to 5.75%, tighter than weaker national markets at 6.0% to 6.5% or higher.
  • Memphis fuel volume is driven by I-40, I-55, and I-240, with busy urban stations doing 100,000 to 150,000 gallons per month versus the US average of about 4,000 gallons per day.
  • Business-only Memphis stations trade at 2.5x to 4.0x EBITDA, combined business-plus-real-estate deals at 4.0x to 7.0x, and premium real-estate-inclusive sites near 8x.
  • SBA 7(a) financing funds most owner-operator purchases up to 5 million dollars with a 15% minimum equity injection, and a Phase I ESA (1,800 to 3,500 dollars) is required for fuel deals.
  • C-Store Trader is the fuel and C-store practice of Eagle Nest Property Group (Dallas, TX) with more than 250 million dollars transacted.

Memphis sits at the crossroads of Interstate 40, Interstate 55, and Interstate 240, which makes it one of the highest-traffic fuel corridors in the Mid-South. The result is a deep and active market for C-stores and convenience stores, from single-store independents to branded multi-site portfolios. Tennessee cap rates run roughly 5.4% to 5.75%, tighter than weaker national markets and a sign of real investor appetite. C-Store Trader is the fuel and C-store practice of Eagle Nest Property Group in Dallas, with more than 250 million dollars transacted. We bring disciplined valuation, qualified buyers, and a process built specifically for convenience and fuel assets to every Memphis deal. See more across Tennessee.

The Memphis C-store market

Memphis is built for fuel retail. Interstate 40, Interstate 55, and Interstate 240 carry heavy commuter and freight traffic, and the city anchors a metro that supports both high-volume highway sites and dense neighborhood C-stores. A busy urban station here can move 100,000 to 150,000 gallons per month, well above the US average of about 4,000 gallons per day. The economics favor the store as much as the pump. In-store items carry 20% to 40% margins, and the C-store typically drives about 30% of revenue but roughly 70% of profit. That mix is why operators and investors compete for well-located Memphis sites. Browse our branded and NNN listings to gauge what trades.

Buying a C-store in Memphis

Most Memphis owner-operator purchases run through SBA 7(a) financing, which caps at 5 million dollars. Special-purpose fuel sites require a 15% minimum equity injection, meaning 10% to 15% down, with real estate terms up to 25 years and June 2026 rates around 9% to 11.5% APR variable. Conventional financing demands 30% to 40% down, and many banks avoid underground storage tanks due to CERCLA liability. Every SBA fuel deal needs a Phase I ESA (ASTM E1527-21) costing 1,800 to 3,500 dollars. Plan for closings of 30 to 90 days on SBA and 30 to 60 days conventional. Start with our buyer services, the due diligence checklist, and the valuation calculator.

Selling a C-store in Memphis

Selling well in Memphis starts with clean numbers and the right buyer pool. Business broker commissions run 10% to 20% on business-only deals and about 6% to 10% when real estate is included, with sale timelines of 3 to 6 months typical. Buyers price off EBITDA and verifiable fuel throughput, often valuing volume at 0.05 to 0.30 dollars per gallon of monthly throughput. A small-to-medium Memphis station owner often nets about 70,000 to 100,000 dollars per year, with stronger sites reaching 100,000 to 500,000 dollars. Presenting that earnings story clearly is what drives competitive offers. See our seller services, the sale-leaseback option for owner-operators, and the guide to increasing value.

Values and cap rates in Tennessee

Tennessee C-store cap rates run roughly 5.4% to 5.75%, tighter than weaker national markets at 6.0% to 6.5% or higher and close to the national average near 5.6%. Tenant credit drives a lot of that spread. Branded fuel cap rates range from about 4.83% to 5.20% for Wawa, 5.00% to 5.40% for 7-Eleven, around 5.13% for Murphy USA, and 5.35% to 5.65% for Circle K. On valuation, business-only Memphis stations trade at 2.5x to 4.0x EBITDA, combined business-and-real-estate deals at 4.0x to 7.0x, and premium real-estate-inclusive sites near 8x. Run the numbers with our cap rate calculator and read the good cap rate guide.

Active deals

Stations & portfolios for sale

FAQ

Buying & selling C-stores in Memphis

Tennessee C-store cap rates run roughly 5.4% to 5.75%, near the national average of about 5.6% and tighter than weaker markets at 6.0% to 6.5% or higher. Branded, credit-tenant Memphis sites compress further, with Wawa around 4.83% to 5.20%, 7-Eleven 5.00% to 5.40%, Murphy USA near 5.13%, and Circle K 5.35% to 5.65%. Use our cap rate calculator to model a specific site.
Pricing depends on whether real estate is included. Business-only Memphis stations trade at 2.5x to 4.0x EBITDA, combined business-and-real-estate deals at 4.0x to 7.0x, and premium real-estate-inclusive sites near 8x. With SBA 7(a) financing, special-purpose fuel sites require a 15% minimum equity injection, so 10% to 15% down up to a 5 million dollar loan. Try our valuation calculator or read how much a C-store costs.
Sale timelines of 3 to 6 months are typical. After a buyer is under contract, SBA-financed closings run 30 to 90 days and conventional closings 30 to 60 days. Fuel deals also need a Phase I ESA (ASTM E1527-21) costing 1,800 to 3,500 dollars, which factors into the timeline. Our seller services and the closing process guide walk through each step.
A small-to-medium Memphis station owner often nets about 70,000 to 100,000 dollars per year, with stronger or higher-volume sites reaching 100,000 to 500,000 dollars. The store drives most of the profit, with in-store items carrying 20% to 40% margins and the C-store generating roughly 70% of profit on about 30% of revenue. See how much C-store owners make for the full breakdown.
Memphis underwriting notes

What makes a Memphis C-store page worth reading.

Memphis should be underwritten as an industrial and logistics traffic market inside the broader Tennessee opportunity set. In practical terms, commercial routes can support steady gallons, diesel demand, and foodservice upside when operations are clean.

Local demand lens

For Memphis C-stores, we compare fuel gallons, inside sales, brand strength, and real estate control against nearby Tennessee submarkets instead of treating every city page as interchangeable.

Documents to request

Ask for trailing financials, monthly fuel gallons, supplier terms, tank records, environmental reports, lease or deed details, and a clear split between fuel margin and in-store profit.

What changes value

In Memphis, the first diligence pass should focus on diesel mix, fleet accounts, lot condition, and environmental records. Those details decide whether the site belongs with owner-operators, 1031 investors, or regional consolidators.

Tennessee combines music-tourism corridors, logistics, fast-growing suburbs, and strong interstate fuel demand. If you are comparing Memphis with other Tennessee markets, use the related pages below to move city by city instead of relying on one statewide average.

C-store operator lens

Memphis, Tennessee through the C-store operations lens.

This page is evaluated through the convenience-store business first: inside sales, category margins, inventory turns, staffing, customer repeat behavior, lease control, and how the store creates profit beyond the fuel canopy. For local C-store pages, the question is whether the neighborhood, commuting pattern, and store categories can support repeat inside sales.

Foodservice upside

Prepared food, coffee, fountain, grab-and-go, and quick-serve opportunities can create a second growth story if equipment, staffing, and local demand support it.

Inventory and shrink controls

Inventory turns, cash handling, lottery controls, tobacco counts, and employee shrink policies can change EBITDA more than a headline traffic count.

Category margin quality

The store can be a larger profit driver than fuel. A buyer should separate high-margin convenience categories from pass-through or low-margin volume before applying a multiple.

Inside sales mix

Ask for POS category reports by month, not only annual revenue. Tobacco, beer, packaged drinks, lottery, grocery, prepared food, and ATM income each carry different margins and buyer value.

For C-store deals, the highest-value diligence usually lives in the POS reports, category sales, shrink controls, vendor terms, beer and tobacco mix, prepared-food potential, lottery contribution, and local customer pattern. This market page is intentionally written for owners, operators, and buyers who care about the in-store profit engine, so it should be evaluated on the specific commercial questions it answers, not only on broad national search terms.

Decision checklist

What makes Memphis, Tennessee a real diligence page.

This market page is strongest when it helps a visitor decide what to do with a real convenience-store asset. The checklist below keeps the page tied to C-store economics: POS reports, category margin, inventory control, licenses, staffing, lease control, and local customer behavior.

Pricing discipline proof

Ask for evidence. Convenience pricing, promotional discipline, and local basket size can matter as much as fuel price when the store is the real profit center. For Memphis, Tennessee, do not treat this as generic background; make it part of the buyer, seller, lender, or investor checklist.

Buyer transition risk proof

Ask for evidence. The handoff needs clean manager coverage, supplier account transfer, licenses, lottery setup, inventory count, and employee retention planning. For Memphis, Tennessee, do not treat this as generic background; make it part of the buyer, seller, lender, or investor checklist.

Category margin quality proof

Ask for evidence. The store can be a larger profit driver than fuel. A buyer should separate high-margin convenience categories from pass-through or low-margin volume before applying a multiple. For Memphis, Tennessee, do not treat this as generic background; make it part of the buyer, seller, lender, or investor checklist.

Inside sales mix proof

Ask for evidence. Ask for POS category reports by month, not only annual revenue. Tobacco, beer, packaged drinks, lottery, grocery, prepared food, and ATM income each carry different margins and buyer value. For Memphis, Tennessee, do not treat this as generic background; make it part of the buyer, seller, lender, or investor checklist.

Foodservice upside proof

Ask for evidence. Prepared food, coffee, fountain, grab-and-go, and quick-serve opportunities can create a second growth story if equipment, staffing, and local demand support it. For Memphis, Tennessee, do not treat this as generic background; make it part of the buyer, seller, lender, or investor checklist.

For C-Store Trader, the indexed value of the page should come from how well it answers the store-operator question: what would a serious owner, buyer, or broker verify before committing capital?

Memphis, Tennessee market proof

Why Memphis, Tennessee deserves its own diligence page.

Memphis, Tennessee should be evaluated as a convenience-retail market, not just a map page. A serious city page needs local repeat-traffic logic, store-category demand, license friction, labor availability, rent or real-estate control, and the type of buyer likely to pursue a C-store asset there.

Inventory and shrink controls in Memphis, Tennessee

Inventory turns, cash handling, lottery controls, tobacco counts, and employee shrink policies can change EBITDA more than a headline traffic count. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Foodservice upside in Memphis, Tennessee

Prepared food, coffee, fountain, grab-and-go, and quick-serve opportunities can create a second growth story if equipment, staffing, and local demand support it. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Inside sales mix in Memphis, Tennessee

Ask for POS category reports by month, not only annual revenue. Tobacco, beer, packaged drinks, lottery, grocery, prepared food, and ATM income each carry different margins and buyer value. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Category margin quality in Memphis, Tennessee

The store can be a larger profit driver than fuel. A buyer should separate high-margin convenience categories from pass-through or low-margin volume before applying a multiple. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Vendor and rebate terms in Memphis, Tennessee

Buyers should review beverage, tobacco, grocery, ATM, lottery, and distributor terms because vendor economics can create hidden value or hidden dependency. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Neighborhood repeat traffic in Memphis, Tennessee

A strong C-store has repeat local behavior. Loyalty, nearby housing, schools, employers, and commuter routes should be mapped against sales by category. Treat this as a local proof point for Memphis, Tennessee, not boilerplate geography.

Lead qualification

What a serious Memphis, Tennessee inquiry should include.

C-Store Trader should turn Memphis, Tennessee traffic into C-store leads with enough detail to underwrite the store, not just a name and phone number. A useful inquiry explains the asset, the operating proof, and the decision timeline.

Asset snapshot

Share whether this is a single store, portfolio, brand page, market search, guide question, or tool output. Include real estate versus leasehold, store size, inside sales, fuel relationship, licenses, and whether inventory is included.

Operating proof

The strongest C-store lead can provide POS category reports, gross margin, payroll, rent, bank deposits, vendor terms, inventory practices, and notes on manager coverage or owner involvement.

Decision path

Clarify whether the goal is to buy, sell, value, refinance, or prepare for a 1031 or sale-leaseback. Include price range, financing capacity, timing, geography, and whether confidentiality is required.

For this market page, a high-quality lead is one where the store economics, transferability, and next action are clear enough for a broker or principal to respond intelligently.

Institutional guidance

Before you act on C-Stores for Sale in Memphis, TN, talk with a sector broker.

C-Store Trader is built to turn market interest into a real next step: valuation, buyer match, lending path, diligence package, or confidential sale strategy. Eagle Nest Property Group works across owners, operators, 1031 buyers, and private capital in convenience retail.

Confidential valuation Qualified buyer routing Deal and diligence support
Get started

Buying or selling in Memphis? Let's talk.

Tell us about your Memphis station or what you are hunting for. We know the Tennessee market and the buyers in it.

469.949.6467

Confidential. We never share your information.

Confidential Valuation Browse Deals